Retail week interiors - £45m prospect gives Wates a New Year boost

Shopfitter Wates Retail has started 2004 on a positive note, with a forward-order book worth£45 million - its best prospect since its foundation as a separate division of the Wates Group in 2002.

The news follows the£57 million sales turnover achieved in 2003, which was a record year for the company. Clients including Boots, Waitrose and Zara combined to produce a 300 per cent increase against the previous year.

Profit for 2003 did not show such a steep climb, although it more than doubled from£700,000 to£1.6 mil-lion. More than 1.25 million sq ft (116,125 sq m) of retail projects were developed during the year.